Tea staining is a relatively quick way to add some interest to illustrated letters. Consider tea staining a large stack of paper all at once to ensure there are plenty of pages for future projects. This project is also possible using coffee, rather than tea. It is all a matter of preference, and what is on hand.
Materials:
- Brewed tea (or coffee!)
- Several sheets of 8 ½ x 11 inch heavyweight white paper
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Paper towels or waxed paper
- Glitter gel pens
- Mini-envelope template
- Pencil
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Black ultra-fine sharpie
Instructions:
- Lay paper towels or waxed paper on kitchen table or other work surface of choice, and fill the 9x13 inch-baking dish with brewed tea (or coffee).
- Place paper into the teach bath, one sheet at a time. The longer the paper sits in the tea bath, the darker the pages will come out when they have completely dried. Place the pages on the paper towels or waxed paper to dry.
- Allow pages to dry completely. In the meantime, use the mini-envelope template to trace out and cut at least six mini-envelopes. Affix the envelopes together using the glue stick.
- When the pages have completely dried, affix the envelopes in random places along the borders. Decorate the rest of the pages using the glitter gel pens.
- Cut small pieces of teas stained paper to fit inside each of the envelopes.
- Use the black ultra-fine sharpie or a dark colored glitter gel pen to write your letter. Use the mini-papers placed inside each of the envelopes for further letter writng, quotations, song lyrics, small drawings, or whatever else your imagination comes up with.
you must allow the tea stained papers to dry completely before stacking the pages one on top each other to store or else they will become moldy.
Warning:
Tip: speed drying time through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.
Variations:
- Add small collages to the edges of the tea stained pages, rather than decorating them with the glitter gel pens, and then layer the mini-envelopes on top.
- Fold the heavyweight paper in half width-wise, cut along the crease, and then start the illustrated letter process.
- Once the letter has been written, spray on some adhesive, shake on some glitter, and then spray another layer of adhesive.
So many creative twists and turns can be taken with this illustrated letter writing project. Because so many interesting techniques are used, this is an excellent way to introduce letter writing to your children. Encourage them to use their imaginations about how to decorate the page’s borders, and to take their time so the project lasts more than through just one sitting.
